Reviving the Ranier's
by Ten Roses Gone
Summary: Sequel to my story "The 9 Month Plan". Epic TIVA/Ranier moments. McAbby is a big couple too. M just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

"Mama! Mama!" The five year old girl ran about the house. As she did so she knocked over countless photographs and many stacks of DVD's. The olive skinned toddler stopped in front of her mother, "Mama? Daddy was chasing me." The pout became unbearable to watch as the now thirty four year old Ziva DiNozzo crouched down to face her daughter.

"Well we can not have that. Go say goodbye to your cousins, then we will leave for home. Okay?" The whole DiNozzo family had been at a reunion for two weeks. Nearing the end of the trip everyone had become annoyed with jobs they needed to return to. For Tony, Ziva, and Caitlin it meant going back to D.C and to NCIS. The family of three climbed into their car, Ziva stuck her head out and made the announcement she had forgotten to make. (**A/N**- Before you jump to conclusions, it's for the tension later in the story)

"I'm pregnant!" The whole family stared at her, smiling in shock, Tony too, shared the expression

Hours later, in the airplane, Kate had fallen asleep in Ziva's lap, and Tony saw again that calm, relaxed and loving look of peace.

"Ziva?" She turned to face him, "hmm?"

"Why didn't you tell me you're pregnant?" Tony took her hand in his and squeezed it. "I do not know, I believe I wanted it to be a surprise." Tony looked at her, chuckling to himself. "You know the gender already, don't you? _Man_, Gibbs is gonna flip."

"Tony, we are married and have a child! I do not think he would be mad." The two looked at Caitlin as she stirred in her sleep.

"I don't think he want's more than two." Ziva looked at Tony quizzically.

"But the baby plus Kate makes two grandchildren."

"Didn't Abby tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Ziva cocked her head to one side.

"Abby and McGee are pregnant. God, I would have thought they'd already told you!" Ziva looked away from Tony and out the window, in an attempt to conceal the hurt of Abby not telling her. A tear ran silently down her face. Ziva was no where near the Ziva from before Somalia anymore. She cried and was not physically able of lying to any of her, or Tony's, friends or family.

"Zi? You okay?"

"Uh, Yes." Ziva wiped away a salty tear, dripping down her cheek. "I was just thinking about what to name him."

"A boy?" Tony's eyes brightened up, and his smile curled way past his ears.

"Brendan."

"What?"

"Brendan, let's name him Brendan."

XXXX

"Katie, sweetheart, it's time to go to school." Tony gently shook his sleeping daughter.

"No!" Tony lifted caitlin out of the bed, the little five year old squirming in his arms, trying to stay asleep.

"Kate, you need to go to school." The female voice startled Tony. "I thought you weren't up yet." The child obeyed her mother and ran to her closet, picking out jeans and a purple t-shirt. "Ready, Daddy." Ziva left the two and went to go get changed, herself. "No you're not, silly goose!" He helped kate brush her hair, and oversaw the brushing of her teeth.

"Tony! If she does not come down here to eat breakfast we shall be late, again!"

Tony sighed as he walked downstairs with Caitlin in tow. "As you wish, mi-lady."

Ziva's eyes widened. "Oh, I know this one, it is... The Bride Princess!"

" _The Princess Bride_ , Ziva."

"Lets go!"

XXXX

Upon walking into NCIS Ziva's memory annoyed her. "_She didn't tell you?"_

Abby stood at McGee's desk, hand on her stomach, fussing over McGee's latest work related injury. "Hey, Tony! Hey, Ziva!" Abby cheerfully greeted them. Tony muttered something about staying away from Ziva, but was stopped short by a glare from the ninja chick herself. McGee sensed the tension and excused himself, saying he needed to use the toilet.

"What's wrong, Ziva?"

"We're pregnant." She said flatly, not bothering to look up from her computer screen.

"Congrats, gu-"

"No, you are pregnant, and I am also."

"Oh. Well this just got awkward."

"Ziver, grab your gear. We have a case, abby tell ducky." Ziva opened and closed her mouth, almost in protest.

The two agents chatted comfortably in the van. They talked about Katie and her father. Ziva wanted to bring up her second pregnancy, but was unable, for the ride was too short.

"Oh my." Ducky exclaimed as he saw the dead man in the chair. "The poor lad was tortured."

A clatter sounded from the second floor of the warehouse they were in. "Ziver, go check it out, will you?"

Ziva darted upstairs, gun poised, ready to fire. She looked around the space, a few boxes. Ziva walked over to them, opening one box slowly. Nothing but dust was inside: a trap.

A masked assailant came out of the dark. "Hello, Sofie."

"Huh?" Ziva was confused, who was this man assuming she was?

"Sofie Ranier, correct?" Ziva's eyes widened as she realized who this person though she was.

"May I inquire who is asking of me?" Ziva played it cool, tucking her gun behind her back, and covering her badge.

"A '_friend_' of your husband's." The man stepped forward, "How is your child?"

Ziva had almost forgotten the Ranier's had been pregnant at the time of their deaths.

"He is fine, almost eight [**a/n: **_I guessed the age, so don't kill me if it's wrong._]. His name is Connor." Ziva tried to hide the identity of her real child, if they should find her: Ziva hoped they would think she is not hers.

XXXX

Gibbs watched as Ducky and Palmer rolled the gurney, carrying the dead marine, to the truck. He was beginning to worry about Ziva.

Ducky returned to Gibbs. "Jethro, is Ziva back yet?"

"Ah, no, Duck. She probably will be soon." The pair of friends began to leave the warehouse. Suddenly, they jumped. An eerie female scream echoed through the building.

"Ziver!"


	2. Chapter 2

"Tony, I'm so sorry." Gibbs approached his co-worker later in the bullpen. The second his first name was said by his boss, Tony knew something was wrong. **That** and Ziva hadn't come back.

"What happened? Where's Ziva? Is she hurt? Oh god. She's dead, isn't she?" Tony slumped in his chair crying (publicly) for his wife.

"Woah, DiNozzo, you okay? Ziver's just... She was kidnapped." Gibbs looked at Tony, recognizing the anger, and despair in his eyes. He recognized the expression from the time after the murder of his family : when he looked in the mirror. Gibbs had never seen his agent cry, at least not in front of McGee.

"Wha-? Who. Who kidnapped her, Boss? I'm gonna hunt that sucker down and strangle him. Especially if he's torturing her. Oh god, he is, isn't he?" Tony once again assumed the incredible outburst of sorrow. 'The-head-held-in-hands-wet-from-tears' position.

"Tony. Ziver is strong, she can withstand torture. She is **immune**."

Tony glared up at Gibbs for the first time in his life. "She's pregnant."

The two words hit the team leader like a ton of bricks. Gibbs could feel his metaphorical self being thrown into a wall, or getting the wind knocked out of him. "I feel like an ass, DiNozzo, I'm sorry."

XXXX

"Ziva! Open up, we need to talk!" Abby banged on the door relentlessly. "Where's Zi?" She asked, peering around the exhausted Tony when he opened the door.

"You didn't hear."

"Hear what?" Tony pointed his finger at the television screen.

"_A NCIS agent was kidnapped today. She was working at a crime scene. There are no leads as to who has Agent Ziva DiNozzo, but if you see this woman [Ziva's picture pops up on the screen] please call..."_

Abby stood in the same place she had been the whole time. The beige carpet in front of her slowly became dotted with the forensic scientist's tears.

"Ziva...I, I never should have left it like that." Abby wiped away the salty tears. "Where's Caitlin? I wan't to see her."

Tony absent-mindedly turned his head in the direction of the little girl's room, to drowned in sorrow to be fully present.

"Hi Katie," Abby whispered into the blackness of the toddler's room.

"Mama?" Abby's lips twitched upward, almost to a smile.

"No, Auntie Abby."

"I wan't mommy!"

XXXX

Abby's sleep was disturbed by the deep, low sobs of one of her closest friends. She sat groggily and realized that her location wasn't a coffin in her apartment, it was the couch in Tony's. As Abby stumbled down the hall, she noticed she was still wearing her clothes from the previous day.

"Tony?" Abby asked tentatively, knocking on the door of the master bedroom, "You, okay?"

The sobs continued as Abby opened the door. She looked at Tony, wrapped in blankets, hugging Ziva's pillow. Abby watched helplessly as each new sob shook the weakened man more than the last had. She hurried to his as soon as he acknowledged her.

"Shh, Tony." Abigail Sciuto had never been good at comforting anyone but Tony. The almost sibling embraced as the waved of tears spread like a virus from one to the other.

[**a/n**- _sorry it's so short! I would have made it longer but family is in town and...they creep on my computer so I have to stay off it as much as possible. I hope you like it._]


	3. Chapter 3

**[a/n- **_yeah, I know, really short! But hey, two updates in a day! Thats a first for me! Relatives are looking at my computer as I type. It's gonna be one awkward breakfast conversation tomorrow morning. I can see it now:_

_Me: so.._

_(My cousin)Anna: Who's Ziva, and why is she being tortured?_

_My Mom: WHAT? SHE'S GONNA BE TORTURED IN THE NEXT EPISODE!_

_Me: uh, no? Its a story._

_Anna: So why is she?_

_Me: 'cuz she's a pregnant assassin._

_My mom: WHAT THE DUCKY!_

_0.0_

_yes, my mom is OBSESSED with NCIS. Well..._**]**

XXXX

Her eyes opened with a start as the man Ziva now knew to be the third cousin of Marcos Siazon Whipped her harshly with a thick, cable-like wire. Apparently he had heard of Marcos' conviction and assumed Sofie and Jean-Paul had turned him in. "What do you want from me?"

"Revenge. You put my only living relative in jail, and they killed him."

"He had a wife, and daughter."

"They, are not direct blood." Another, cold harsh snap of the wire against Ziva's bare skin echoed through the room. Malcolm Walter had stripped Ziva of her shirt, he wanted nothing to keep her from suffering. As the marks became red with blood, the lashings became worse. Soon Ziva began to think that **she **would be the next body Ducky would "dissect".

"You don't life this? Sofie?" He asked as if he had given her a gift. Malcolm threw his arm back, and thrust it forward so intensely you could hear Ziva's nose break on impact.

" **What **are you going to do with me!" The criminal who stood before Ziva cackled.

"Kill you, then ship your poor, mangled body to your husband, and son. You know, you never should have left the assassin bisiness." Malcolm touched her soft skin, on her neck, with the tip of a knife.

"You **will **die a painful death, you** will** feel what my brother felt as he died, slowly from the poison injected into his veins. You. Will. Suffer." He plunged the knife deep into her shoulder, making Ziva David scream in utter agony. She watched as Malcolm left her there, knife in her arm. Ziva did not dare glance down upon her bloody figure. She knew that the little flame inside her, trying to be developed into a life, was gone.

XXXX

**[a/n- **another reason this is so short is because it...it kinda hurts to imagine Ziva so helpless, and I don't like implying she might die.**]**


	4. Chapter 4

Agent Anthony DiNozzo's cell phone started ringing late afternoon on a Saturday. He was on the way to pick up Caitlin from dance practice. His day, in the office, searching desperately for a lead had been unsucessful.

"Hello? Jean-Paul?" The familiarly disnant voice shocked Tony. "Ziva?" The glimmer of hope returned to his eyes.

'Sofie. How is Connor?" The calm voice and old, previously overused names of their former "identities" was puzzling to Tony.

"Zi, Sofie, Katie is fine, Where are you? Who has you?"

"Malcolm Walter's wants to talk to you. Do you remember Marcos Siazon? This is his cousin." Tony reconized the sound of a cell phone being handed to another person, and mentally screamed that he wanted Ziva back. _Her captor thinks she is Sofie. That explains Connor, she was pregnant._

Tony thought, but his mental conversation ended abruptly when the man finally spoke.

"Jean-Paul. I have your wife. I am torturing her. She _will _die. You, are next." The line went dead.

_Tortured? What if we lost the baby? _Tony made a hasty U-turn, quickly texting a father of Kate's friend that he wouldn't be able to pick her up. And then he sped back to NCIS.

XXXX

"Gibbs! Ziva called. Her captor's name is Malcolm Walter, cousin of Marcos Siazon. He thinks she's Sofie Ranier!" Tony breathed in quick breaths. Not quick enough he would hyperventilate, but very close. DiNozzo was not supposed to find Agent Lee, Gibbs and McGee still at their desks, as Tony had left early.

"Ma-Gee. I want Malcolms whole life story, **now!**"

"Gibbs? He said she would...He was torturing her, and he is going to kill her!"

"Boss. Got something. He has a large record of being a suspect in murder trials and is wanted by the FBI. All of his victims were female with french heritage and children. His last murder was a year ago, at a warehouse. Seven hundred twenty-eight Rocky Hill Drive." The whole team sprinted for the elevator.

XXXX

The thick blodd had now turned dry, and crusty against Ziva's torso. Malcolm's latest inflictions were on her back: countless knife slices, all in a row. It was his calling card. The thing that all his victims had donned during the murder,

"Tomorrow, you die." Malcolm whispered in Ziva's ear after he had finished.

Hours later, Ziva was alone in the darkness, her only company: the sounds of rats squeaking behind her. Suddenly, a loud bang of metal on metal and shouts of: "NCIS! We have a warrant!" echoed through the lonely space. Ziva knew if she had the strength she would have laughed. Gibbs didn't have a warrant, barely ever does.

"Gibbs! Help!" Ziva said as loud as swhe could ino the cold air around her. A shot was fired. It must have hit flesh, and stayed there, because the walls of the bulding were metal, and Ziva did not hear a ricochet.

Loud sound of feet ascending the stairs begged the question: Malcolm, or Gibbs?

"Ziver!" The silver haired Agent rushed over to his close friend. "Oh my god." Tony exclaimed, hurridly running through the door. Ziva flashed in and out of conciousness as the pair lifted her out of her prison, and to safety.

XXXX

The unforgiving tapping sound was like the water dripping in the warehouse. Constantly going, louder the more you listen. Ziva's body tensed as the mere idea that Gibbs had saved her faded to an unreal hope. The scene around her was indeed that of a hospital. Ziva just didn't know it. Ziva didn;t want to open her eyes for fear of Malcolm.

"How is she?" The tapping sound stopped as tje familiar, needed, voice filled the room. "She's sleeping." Abby's voice comforted Ziva. The lack of friends during the reign of her kidnapper had made the reality ("Someday all your loved ones might be gone") more real, if that even made sense. Ziva was quite certain she was safe. She opened her eyes sllowly, rejoicing in what she saw.

"Tony! Abby! I missed you so much."


	5. Chapter 5

"I missed you too Zi. I was so worried about you! I'm so glad you aren't dead!" Abby changed seating arrangements, coming to sit in a chair on the left of Ziva.

"Abby." Ziva extended her scarred, bruised arm to the goth, who took Ziva's hand in hers. "I couldn't lose you too, Ziva." The wounded woman in the hospital bed felt distant from who she was: Ziva David. She knew _who_ Abby was refferring to, but the memories of that time were not Ziva DiNozzo's. They were from, quite literally, two lives previous.

When Ziva had first come to NCIS from Mossad, she truly was: Miss David, Probationary Liason Officer Ziva David. She was a coldhearted killer; although she wouldn't admit that, _Ziva_ would. This, post Somalia Ziva was new, almost homeless. SHe knew she was no longer a "David", for her father had left her in Africa to die. But on the other hand, Gibbs and the team were her new family, but she still had no last name. Ziva DiNozzo; _she_ is a new, amazing person. She _belongs_ somewhere. Although she will never be wholly fierce as she was, Ziva DiNozzo is the assassin stripped down to the woman. She had purposefully distanced herself from Ziva _David_. A blood relative on the man who killed the woman Ziva had replaced: Caitlin "Kate" Todd. That was who Abby was refferring to.

"Ziva? How are you."

"I am as I should be: stirred up."

"Shaken, Ziva, I mean, how are you. As in: health wise. The baby, he's fine?"

"A baby boy? Congrat's guys!"

"Abby? Could you leave us alone for a minute?" Abby stood up and left the room.

"Tony, I." Ziva thought for what seemed like ages. "He is fine." She said grinning.

XXXX

Gibbs had been sitting alone in the bullpen for thirty three minutes, drinking his coffee. Non od his team had even been in the building so far. He hadn;t gone to see Ziva, yet Jenny, Ducky and even Palmer had done that before him. Gibbs thought he would probably find everybody there, it was a slow day anyways. All Gibbs knew about Ziva's confition was that she was stable. He didn;t know if she had miscarried, or if all the blood she lost on the way to the ambulance was from all her wounds. The truth, even though Leroy Jethro Gibbs wouldn't accept it, was that he was afraid to go and visit. Tne thought of seeing her again, looking worse than after Somalia, and feeling...Hell, he didn't know, made Gibbs afraid he might to something reckless, post visit. The silence in his head was just like after Shannon and Kelly died. No little voices telling him he needed to say this, or do that, or in this casr head-slap DiNozzo. it was just him, and thoughts of the health of his co-worker.

"Grampa Gibbs? Is my mommy going to be okay?" A little girl, Ziva's little girl, tugged on his arm. "Daddy won't let me see her."

Gibbs smiled at the thoughtfulness of DiNozzo. He knew how to protect her. "Yes, Caitlin, she will." The silver haired man had never called her 'Kate', maybe one time, but out of the still very present pain from the death of his friend, he didn't believe he would ever call anyone that again. "C'mere." Gibbs lifted the girl into his arms, hugging back when she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Katie, time to go see your mom." Gibbs looked up as Director Jenny Sheppatd's voice sounded, in front of him.

"Really?"

"Yeah, your dad just called. Jethro, you coming?"

"Uh, no, Jen, I'm good. Goodbye Caitlin."

XXXX

"Mommy! I missed you so much!" Caitlin cried as she ran to her mom's bed. Jenny looked on as mother and daughter embraced for the first time in three weeks.

"Director Sheppard."

"Jenny."

"Right, what are you doing here? I would have come and picked up Katie." Tony strolled over to the Director. His hands were in his jean pockets, and he appeared to not have shaven for days.

"Ton, did you think I would not like to visit Ziva? Plus, I think you need to go home, shave, shower."

Tony smiled and returned to his wife and child.

"Ziva, I'm gpnna go home, I'll come back later. Bye." He said softly. kissing her and Katie on the forehead.

Jeny sat down opposite Ziva.

"Shalom, Director."

Jen laughed. "Why the formal greeting, Ziva?"

Ziva grinned, glancing down at her now sleeping five year old.

"I missed you, and everyone. I missed Gibbs too. Where is Gibbs?"

Jen's smiled faltered. "He, couldn't make it. I offered, to bring him over, though. Ziva, how's the baby?"

"He...Director, I can not lie to you. I miscarried."

"Have you told Tony?"

Ziva shook her head no. "He, I do not wan't him to know. He will figure it out when I do not get any bigger." Ziva's voice became shaky, as she attempted to hold back tears.

XXXX

McGee arrived in the bullpen late, the next day. Ziva was out of the hospital today, he went to go get her, and Tony, but they had already left.

"Probie! You're late!" Tony smiled at McGee from his perch next to Ziva. Her nose had a brace on it, countless bandages, one cast on her shoulder, and a sling. She looked absolutely terrible, but he dared not say it.

"Tony, leave McGee alone." She playfully hit him, both winced upon impact.

"Zivaaaaaaaahhh!" The long shot carried from downstair to upstairs quickly, Abby was running at light speed to where her damaged friend was.

"Are you alright? You should be home resting, where's Katie?"

"Yes, just dinged up. Ziva didn't want to stay at home, Katie is at school." Tony answered all the questions. Abby pulled a little black box of chocolates out from behind her back. "Here, these will make you feel better. I gotta run. Busy! Bye!" Abby left in a flash of black and bobbing pigtails.

Tony laughed as Ziva placed the chocolates on her desk along with the black roses, cards and balloons she had recieved earlier v.i.a Abby.

XXXX

Gibbs strolled in to the office at noon-time. He had never been so late. The team was lost without him. All they did was brief Ziva on the latest hadn't talked to Ziva since he found her in the warehouse. And now, today, he was avoiding her. Gibbs wondered if Ziva would try and talk to him. she still relied on the help of one crutch to get around , so she couldn't drive or chase him down by herself.

"Good morning boss." Gibbs lazily waved at her, raising his eyebrows at the confused reactions of Tim McGee and Anthony DiNozzo.

"We got a case?"

"No." Gibbs finished off his coffee, "Didn't you check your email do-dads?" The team whipped up their emails onto the computer screens incredibly fast, all except Ziva, who was one armed.

"You gave us a day off?"

"_You _used an _email?_ I didn't know you could even use the...shutting up now.

XXXX

"Gibbs, please call me. I think we need to talk, 'bye." Ziva left a message on her boss' answering machine. She knew he would probably never recieve it, but she wanted to feel like she was doing something for the situation.

After she hung up, Ziva climbed in bed next to Tony. She was doing better, and the pain in her shoulder had gone awy so Ziva had permitted Tony not to sleep on the couch, but rather with her.

"Tony?" She whispered, "Are you awake?"

"I am now."

"Why is Gibbs not talking to me? He did not come to see in the hospital either. " Tony rolled over to face his wife.

"He's probably just too busy. There are rumors he is running an undercover op." Tony tried to comfort ZIva, but when his hand brushed her stomach, she flinched away.

"Ziva? Is the baby really okay?"

Tony looked into the darkness at where he believed Ziva's brown eyes were.

"We will talk about this in the morning. Good night." Ziva was relieved that Tony had most likely been unavle to see the tear that ran silently down her cheek.


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning Tony woke up to the smell of bacon and eggs. He got up from the bed, and walked to his daughter's room. When he opened the door, the bed was made and Katie was not there.

Wandering towards the smell of breakfast, he found his family. Ziva was braiding the long, brown hair of her daughter , and at the same time: cooking the pancakes.

"Good morning, Daddy!" Caitlin smiled and waked at her father.

"Hello princess. Ziva, you didn't have to make breakfast." Tony had planned to do it himself, but as always: the ninja had beat him to it.

"Tony, you sleep in. I had to. Okay, Katie. Here is your pancake." She said, handing her daughter a plate with one pancake and a strip of bacon. "Tony, this one is yours." Ziva motioned towards the plate covered with eggs.

XXXX

"Do you think she likes school?"

Tony truthfully didn't know. "She probably does." He was detached from the world anyways; he couldn't stop thinking about why Ziva didn't just tell him yes or no.

"Ziva, last night..."

"Yes, I know, Tony. I was beaten, _tortured._ And, I do not know when. But I did know when I _felt_...Tony, I had a miscarriage."

Ziva focused on the road, she didn't want to lose the calm tone of her voice and lose control of the car at the same time. She knew tony hated her driving anyways.

"Zi...why didn't you tell me? You _lied_ to me. You said the baby was_ fine_. Ziva, _why_ would you do that?"

Turning into her usual spot in the parking lot, Ziva shook her head. "I do not know."

XXXX

The rest of the day, both members of the couple were acting strangely. They took extra time to reply to anyone. And they avoided each other.

At certain points during the day, Ziva would find herself _missing_ Michael Rivkin. She was disgusted sometimes after thinking it too. Ziva missed her old life. Not the life where she belonged to Mossad, no. The time when she solved cases with NCIS not as them, Ziva David, that was who she wanted to be, again.

Tony wished a similar thing. He missed the days when his boss would head-slap him for taking about his sexual exploits during work. When he flirted with Ziva just to amuse himself.

But now, neither of them could just go back. They were bound together by a life, a child from both of them. They couldn't go back even though they wanted to.

XXXX

"Jenny, can I stay at your house, tonight. Tony and I are...I told him." Ziva sat down in a chair near the Director's desk.

"Yes, sure you can. Just give Tony a day or two, he'll come around." Director Sheppard put the folder's on her desk in a pile and grabbed her car keys,

"I have to go to a meeting in Annapolis, I will be back at seven. Goodbye, Ziva."

The two friends walked out of the office together, after they reached the bullpen they parted.

"Why were you with the Director?" Tony chewed on the pen he held, staring at Ziva.

"I am staying at the Director's house tonight. Can you pick up Kate, I will go home in my car."

"Uh, sure. Why are you sleeping at her place?"

"No reason." Ziva shrugged, which made her instantly regret the action. She grabbed her shoulder in pain.

XXXX

"How is Katie?" Jenny started the dinner conversation. It was just them, which was nice.

"She is good, she adores school as far as I know, and she is almost six." Ziva had made Gumbo for dinner with the help of Jenny's cook.

"Well, I hope you invite me to her birthday party." She pause, taking a bite, "this is really good."

"Thank you. Tony wanted to go 'all out' as I believe that saying is. But I just wanted a sort of low key party."

"What did Katie want?"

"She just wanted her aunts and uncles to be there. I am not sure about Gibbs, though." Jenny knew what Ziva was talking about, however she did not bring it up. Instead, she pretended she had no idea. "Why is that?"

"It seems as If he has been avoiding me." Ziva shrugged. She was not sure what Jenny's thoughts on the matter were. She would find out, in time. Ziva needed all the good work relationships she could find. Since Gibbs was ignoring her and Tony and her marriage was in a bit of trouble there were only two people at NCIS she was close with: Abby and Jenny. Ducky and McGee were more of aquaintances to Ziva as they really only interacted during work.

XXXX

Ziva crawled into the guest bed. She wanted nothing more than to be comforted. Jen had probably already gone to sleep, and the maid was absolutely out of the question.

She gazed out the window, at the moon. So many things had already gone wrong for Ziva. She was kidnapped, lost her baby, and was about to lose her marriage. Ziva hoped Jenny was right, that in a few days Tony would forgive her for something that she didn't have any influence over. Finally, drifting to sleep she found peace with herself, and relaxed.

But in her dreams she was in utter agony. Memories of her kidnapping played, constantly. Always the moment when she was whipped the hardest. She now noticed the other people in the room. Two aftrican-american men, guarding the door. She couldn't see their faces clearly, the scene was too blurred by a past pain. And then she heard a shot ring out. One shot by a sniper who had saved her life, too much already. She knew Malcolm was dead when he didn't fire back. The two mean fleed, leaving the almost-murder-scene empty except for Ziva. "Help!" The whisper of a cry rang out as the nightmare ended.

"Ziva, are you alright?" Jenny shook her. "Ziva, you were screaming!" Ziva sat up, and her hand flew to her shoulder, making sure it was just a dream.


	7. Chapter 7

"Oh, I am sorry. Did I wake you up?" Ziva got out of bed and pulled her change of clothes out of a bag.

"No, I've been awake for an hour, Tony called me at six and asked if you were okay." Ziva glanced at her boss' boss. She was fully dressed.

"Oh. I am going to get dressed now." Jen left the room, then she called out.

"I'll meet you downstairs!"

XXXX

A month had passed since Ziva's stay at the Director's house. Her and Tony's relationship was somewhat patched up, Jenny had been right. Gibbs had only rarely had a personal talk with Ziva, she was getting antsy about the ignorance. Caitlin had turned six and she had wished for a baby sister as her birthday present. This wish made the good, new relationship rocky again. Ziva wasn't quite ready yet, and Tony... He wanted the happiness of Ziva. Sure, they _had_ tried, but had no result.

XXXX

"Gibbs, I need to talk to you." Ziva stomped down the basement steps, unable to wait a minute longer. She saw Gibbs working on an almost completed boat. He glanced up, but continued working. Ziva grabbed the sander out of his hand.

"Hey!" Gibbs stuck out his hand and she respectively deposited the tool in it.

"Gibbs we need to talk."

"The hell we do, sit down." He motioned to a bench. Ziva sat, crossing her legs.

"I. I lost the baby. And now, I think tony want's another..."

"Okay." Gibbs got out two glasses and poured bourbon into them. "Why are you telling me this?"

Ziva stared at her boss. "Gibbs I almost died! And you, who are like my father, have ignored me since! I just want to not be forgotten."

"Ziver."

"And here Abby is. She is pregnant and...I look at her and see... I see the daughter you _care_ about! I do not hate her. But every time her and McGee talk about their child, I...I lost _my_ child Gibbs! Don't you care? Don't you care about Caitlin, about Tony? Don't you care about _Me_?" The tears dripped down Ziva's face constantly. She touched her stomach.

"Do you know how much I _wish _I had told you I was pregnant? I would be five fucking months right now!" Gibbs moved to hug her, he encased her in his arms. The he whispered in her ear.

"I'm sorry."

XXXX

Abby, the hormonal, pregnant, goth, was late the following morning. In tow behind her was her annoyed boyfriend, McGee.

"Abs, we've gone over this ten times! We are not naming him _Jethro_!" Tony choked back a laugh. She had named a dog Jethro once, now her baby was to be name that in her mind.

"McGee, who's pregnant here? Me or-" Abby was cut off as she heard soft whimpering from the area of Ziva's desk.

"Oh, _Ziva_. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to." Ziva took a look at Abby. She dared to glance at the rounded stomach of her friend. Abby watched helplessly as Tony went to cradle Ziva in his arms.

XXXX

"Tony?" Ziva closed Katie's door, she had just fallen asleep. "Were you serious, this morning?"

"Yes. I wan't another child, and I wan't you to be happy."

"But. I do not think I can have a baby. All of the scar tissue."

"Zi, don't discourage yourself. If you want another kid we should at least try!" Ziva raised her eyebrows.

"Anthony DiNozzo! Are you just trying to have sex with me?" She leant against the doorframe of their bedroom seductively, joking with him.

"Well thats a perk of having a wife, isn't it?" Tony put his hands on the wall near her head, pinning her there. He could feel her breathing. Ziva stuck her head forward, brushing his lips, toying with his patience. She didn't believe she was ready, physically, for a child. But she needed him.

Tony couldn't take it anymore, he crashed his lips to hers, igniting the old fireworks from their undercover days. Ziva wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer. They were glad they had investing in a sound proof master bedroom, Ziva **was** a screamer.

XXXX

Four and a half months later, Kate turned six. Her golden brown locks turned to chocolate brown, and her green eyes intensified. Abby and McGee had named her the god-sister of little Matthew Sciuto-McGee, who had his mother's natural blonde hair and his father's nose. Tony was waiting quite patiently for the week Ziva would should him the little stick with a pink plus sign. Finally, Gibbs was content with his extended family, while Jenny was ecstatic there was a boy just joining. All matters of the heart were in order. Ducky hadn't been too involve in the situations, however, he had been visiting his sick cousin in Morocco.

The DiNozzo's sat in the living room. Tony was helping Kate with her homework and Ziva was lying on the couch, wrapped in blankets.

"I do not understand! I never get sick! Except when I am pregnant." Ziva coughed, "but I am not, this is a cold!"

"We really should take to a doctor. Sweet cheeks."

"I'm all done, Daddy." Tony and Ziva smiled. She was as smart as her mom had been when she was this young.

"Thats [Cough] great [cough] sweetie!" Ziva's coughs shook her petite body violently.

"Katie, go get your and Mom's jackets please." Tony turned to Ziva as his daughter ran upstairs.

"I'm so glad Gibbs has started giving us whole weekends off. You'll need it, Zi!" Tony joked as Ziva climbed off the couch. She had gotten the could three days earlier when she had to go to russia while undercover with McGee. It was winter, so even DC was under a layer of snow.

"Ugh, I'm hungry." Ziva said, annoyed at her growling stomach. She slipped her favorite, blue trench coat on, and helped Caitlin with her pink Northface.

"We can stop somewhere on the way to the doctor's" Tony grabbed the keys.

"Can we get pickles and Ice Cream?"


	8. Chapter 8

"Ziva DiNozzo?" A blonde nurse, only about twenty two, announced. Ziva stood up, coughing violently as Tony supported her and Kate ran around them. As this 'terribly sick' woman passed all of the other patients, they cringed. Even if the **were** sick they did not want to be withing a one hundred and two mile radius of Ziva.

The blonde woman noticed the six year old and asked is she should be brought to the hospital's 'playroom'. After receiving a nod from the couple, Katie and the nurse practically ran the opposite direction, down a hallway.

"Hello, I'm doctor Grayson. You can call me Hallie." Hallie announced herself as she closed the door.

"Ziva, dear! I haven't seen you since little Katie! How are you two?" Hallie Grayson had been Ziva's OB/GYN doctor when they were undercover.

"You are a maternity doctor," Ziva turned to her husband, "Tony? I told you I am not pregnant!" Tony shrugged, he had no idea that Hallie was a 'normal' doctor.

Ziva coughed, loudly into her sleeve. "Oh, well I guess you're not her for my other services today. Sick? Anthony, have you taken her temperature?" Tony shook his head and Dr. Grayson took out a 'one minute' thermometer and stuck it under Ziva's tongue. When she took it out, Ziva gagged and ran to the trashcan to empty her stomach contents.

Moaning audibly, she returned to her seat as pale as the white shoes Hallie was wearing.

"103. I won't take a premature guess, but I think you have pneumonia." Dr. Hallie Grayson scribbled down notes on a piece of paper labled "Ziva [David] DiNozzo".

Tony, who had been sitting quietly, now patted his wife's hand. "See? Told you I wasn't pregnant." Ziva sniffled, wiping away the liquids dripping from her nose. The doctor and Tony both laughed.

XXXX

"Hey, boss. Ziva has pneumonia...Yeah, it's dangerous...No, it **is** contagious...I'm not letting her near Katie, no...Okay, thanks boss...Bye." Tony hung up and returned to the living room, to Ziva puking into a bucket.

"Hey, what did Gibbs say?" She asked weakly, trying to smile.

"Gave us both a week off. You feeling any better?" Ziva coughed as Tony leant against the door frame, crossing one leg over the other.

"No, worse. O believe we should ask Abby or Jenny to babysit a few days."

Tony frowned. "Abs has two children to look after, McDaddy and Matt."

"Then we should ask Jenny." Ziva threw up again. "Do you have any more ginger ale or crackers? I am hungry."

"I bet." Tony walked away, leaving Ziva to try and watch television for a little while until she threw up again.

XXXX

Four days later Kate had moved from "Auntie" Jenny's to "Grampa" Gibbs'. Ziva was still incredibly sick, Tony was amazed **he** hadn't gotten pneumonia yet. The whole of "Team Gibbs" had called numerous times. It was mainly Abby. Abby had called thirteen times, Gibbs, a close eleven, McGee: eight, Ducky: four, and finally, Jenny, two. She was in Europe.

Ziva had stopped throwing up as much, which assured her and Tony that she was slowly getting better. She had also stopped coughing, and when she **did **cough, it was rare. As Ziva's health increased she began to forget about Malcolm, and the memories started to blur. How could she forget the child, though? She couldn't. Instead she found herself believing she was finally ready for another baby. Finally ready.


	9. Author's Note!

so...for now, this story is on hiatus.

I actually write this out before I type it, so currently I have about 150 pages of story ready to be typed. I will work on that during the summer, when I have more time. I have a week off from school so I will use that to finish up some stuff. Then 2 weeks of school, then summer! So for about 3 weeks this is on hiatus! Sorry!

-C


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